


The Seventeenth Time

by canadiankazz



Series: Times Jasper Fed from Annabelle [17]
Category: Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Masquerade - L.A. By Night (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Porn, Blood Bond, Blood Drinking, Blow Jobs, Brujah (Vampire: The Masquerade), Chair Sex, Cunnilingus, F/M, I also had some STRONG FEELINGS about Annabelle's choices, Missionary Position, Nosferatu (Vampire: The Masquerade), Vampires, blush of life, we had some FEELINGS about Jasper wearing leather gloves at that party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-06 03:14:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18379799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadiankazz/pseuds/canadiankazz
Summary: This fic is my response to Season 2, Episode 8 'Innocent Monsters'. Jasper and Annabelle consider their options after the events of the Camaralia party and the Valkyrie recruiting mission.This fic is part of an AU series where Jasper has been feeding from Annabelle and they now have a Blood Bond and a slow burn romantic relationship. SPOILERS for the end of Campaign 1, the one-shots, and up to and including Episode 8 of Season 2. The first half of this fic was written before the author saw Episode 9 of Season 2 and the second half was written after. It’s obviously worth reading the rest of the "Feeds From" series before this part.This fic is two chapters long.





	1. One Last Time?

**Author's Note:**

> While I was writing this, I genuinely thought this might be the final fic in the series. It's not, but the sentiment is still there that Jasper and Annabelle might not be able to be together forever. I wanted to wait and see how the show handled Annabelle's decision in regards to Rags before I wrote the second half of this. Alas, we didn't get Jasper chewing her out, so I had to write it instead.
> 
> Extra special thanks to L for giving me the prompt for the chair smut scene that ended up in this fic. Thanks to M for ideas for other positions. 
> 
> As always, I lay no claim to owning any of the characters involved, and my eternal thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed my fic.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper has a very serious decision to make. Both options will put his loved ones at risk. He decides to make sure he has one last night of passion with Annabelle.

Jasper almost couldn’t believe it. They had survived their meeting with the Prince.

True, they had not all come away completely unscathed. Jasper could easily tell that both Victor and Nelli had their minds played with back there. He had felt it too, the feeling of someone uninvited peering into his head to read his surface thoughts, but, looking back on everything, he was certain that all of his decisions, words and actions had been his own. Well, mostly certain anyway. He gritted his teeth. This was why most of the, to be polite, non-high society Kindred, such as himself, hated Ventrue and Toreador and everyone else who could use the disciplines of mental manipulation. They acted like children when they didn't get their way and thought it was nothing to manipulate the minds and wills of others. It was like a toddler taking a beautiful but fresh clay sculpture and squishing it with their hands. Sure, the sculpture might be able to be repaired or re-made, but the fingerprints from the child might always be there, and the end result would not match the original a hundred percent.

Jasper had been terrified. That entire party was like a razor's edge. He was certain that they had been mere moments away from disaster at several points. Victor had been digging himself a hole with his own pride and self-assurance and he may well have dragged Jasper down with him. He clenched his fists, making the leather gloves he still wore creak. How could Victor be so much older than him, both in human and Kindred years, and still be such as idiot? They had gone in with a plan to make the Prince think they were seriously considering his offer, and yet all Victor had done was push his own agenda. Jasper could see it in the Prince's face every time Victor mentioned some kind of alliance. Vannevar must have been thinking “sure, join me and then we will all be on the same side, idiot."

At least Jasper had managed to make a good impression. He had gotten the distinct feeling that Vannevar had been trying to seduce him, but not using the usual mind tricks to do so. Jasper thought had given as good as he got. Making the Prince wait further for his final answer on the Sheriff job offer had been a bold move, but one that seemed to go over well. Jasper wasn't sure when he had gotten so good at playing this game, but he was grateful for it.

Even still, for all the Prince seemed to approve of Jasper, he had not passed up on any attempt to dehumanise him. Vannevar had spent the majority of the encounter referring to Jasper only as “Nosferatu.” Jasper had no choice but to let this slide, lest he want to keep his head. It was as if the Prince's Ventrue pride did not permit Jasper to have a name. At least no one had introduced him by first and last name to the Kindred there, but Jasper suspected that already knew that already anyway.

After all, they knew about Victor's boys. Of course they did. Likely, then, they knew about Chloe as well. Jasper had no doubt. Last he had spoken to Ramona, Chloe was okay, but that was several nights ago, and it could change in an instant.

And then there had been Maximilian Strauss. Jasper had kept his eye on him. As someone who was used to a bodyguard position, he had seen the signs of it in the body language of the ancient Tremere. This was the man who had terrified Eva so much, and Jasper understood why. Jasper thought about the promise he had made to Eva. He owed her a lot, and he would not back out of the deals he made with her, but seeing the man face-to-face had been almost as much of an ordeal as meeting the Prince had been. Dressing to resemble him at this get-together has also been another power move, a not-so-subtle “I'm like you.” It had worked, so far as Jasper could tell. It had worked far better than whatever the hell Victor had been thinking with his outfit.

If Jasper had Blush of Life up, his pulse would have been racing. His heart would have been beating hard enough to be seen on the outside of his lean chest. As it was, he still felt tense, hyped, as if full of adrenaline. Although this encounter was over, he knew that he couldn’t relax yet. The next move might not happen for a while yet, but between now and then so many things could still happen.

It was too much to deal with. Different thoughts and anxieties battled for room in his brain. He snarled to himself.

Coming back to the Prince's offer... it was tempting. That was the tricky part was just how _tempting_ it was to say yes. He had even asked if he would have alone time, to pursue his own interests. The Prince had said that he would, with his permission and knowledge of said interests, of course. Like Hell he was telling them about the labyrinth, although the thought of Vannevar Thomas getting lost in that seemingly endless maze was one that made Jasper smirk. Additionally, the Prince told him that he'd never be truly alone. Jasper had no doubt that would be true. Privacy would be one of the many sacrifices he'd have to make.

On the other hand... he could do the job though. Jasper knew he could potentially be a very good Sheriff. He was still a comparably young Kindred compared to the rest of them, but had the skills they were looking for in violence and intimidation, and he knew how to take orders. He had more or less been unofficially doing it for Abrams for years now. Additionally, as monstrous as it made him, while Jasper didn't like killing humans, he _really_ enjoyed killing other Kindred. Seeing them turn into dust was oddly satisfying, and knowing there was one less of them in the world was almost as pleasing.

Supposing he did take the job... what then?

What then indeed?

He'd have to say goodbye to a lot of what he had been building up in his life for the past five years. There was the aforementioned privacy, but also so much more. No more dinners with Gary and his childer. No more meetings and bickering with Victor and Nelli. No more conversations with Eva about the occult and their boons. No more little sanctum under the L.A. River. Possibly no more labyrinth.

And no more Annabelle.

Jasper was extremely grateful that Annabelle hadn't been in that party tonight. Jasper took a moment to listen to his blood. He could sense she was in the south of the city and that she had gone through a fair bit emotionally this night. Whatever had happened though, she seemed pleased about it over-all. He could feel her pride. She had accomplished something, or thought she had. That was good.

If Jasper said yes to the Prince, he would have to say goodbye to Annabelle.

If he said no, and he had to go into hiding, he would still have to say goodbye to her.

Either way, this was going to happen, and soon.

Never tasting her Vitae again, or touching her skin, or hearing her moans and screams in reaction to what he was doing to her body, or feeling her touch him in return, utterly unafraid or repulsed but aroused and loving instead...

It was dangerous to do so, but he suddenly desperately wanted to see her, one last time. Of course, what they had been doing together for the past several months had always been dangerous, but now there was far, _far_ more danger than just their coterie finding out, or either one of their Beasts frenzying. But Jasper needed one last happy memory with her, if that wasn't too much to ask.

Jasper was moving with Obfuscate back towards his sanctum in an effort to keep it secret. He was texting Annabelle in their private chat as he did so.

“Where are you?” he asked.

“South L.A. Hanging out with R and 9's. Valkyries are super cool and said they'll help! How'd you go?”

“Still in one piece. Need to see you.”

“Now?”

“Yes.” Jasper could not think of words to describe his desperation in the moment. He was feeling very paranoid. They might have a few nights, or only hours of relative peace left.

“Victor isn't replying to texts? Is he okay?”

“Yes. His phone got broken. Come to mine, but not the front way. Get underground and text me an intersection. I will find you.”

“Ok.”

Jasper made it inside his haven. He took off the red glasses and left them on his work bench. He sighed, looking around. Whatever he decided, he was going to miss this place. Perhaps there was a chance it could be preserved. He could lock everything up and maybe, just maybe, it would be left untouched so that he _might_ , one night in the far future, return to it.

Even in the life of a vampire, there was no such thing as “forever.”

His phone buzzed with a message from Annabelle. She had given him an intersection that was actually not that far away. Less than two blocks. It was a little close for comfort, but it would do. Jasper imminently headed out his back door, without changing his clothes first.

It took him ten minutes to find her. He snuck up on her invisibly and tapped her on her shoulder. She jumped and whirled around, fists up, then heaved a big sigh when she saw it was him. His Unseen Passage had dropped when he touched her.

“You scared me!” she scolded.

“Sorry,” he said, only really partly sorry. Mostly, he was just glad to see her.

Annabelle looked him up and down, taking in his clothes. She covered her mouth but couldn’t hide a giggle. “You look so good!”

He groaned.

“You do!” she insisted. “Sort of... industrialist military priest. You had glasses in the photo Victor sent.”

“They're at home.”

“Leather gloves? Jasper, _oooh_ ,” Annabelle said, approving.

“Yes. Can we go?”

“Sure, of course, but you have to tell me all about it.”

They headed back the way Jasper had come, their footsteps echoing in the tunnels.

“So, what happened?” Annabelle pressed. “Victor's phone broke?”

“He was the one who broke it, actually, to prove to the Prince that he wouldn’t use it again.”

“Oh my God,” Annabelle said in surprise and fear. “So, what was the Prince like?”

“He was terrifying,” Jasper said quietly, honestly.

Annabelle frowned. The over-all good mood she had earlier was quickly evaporating and being replaced with concern. “What did he do?”

“They used... mind tricks on Victor and Nelli. He talked to me about the job he offered. I managed to buy myself a little more time before giving him a final answer, but Annabelle...” Jasper sighed. “Whichever choice I make, I'm going to have to leave.”

“How do you mean?”

“If I say yes... I can't ever see you again. I'll be with the enemy. Even if I'm just deep undercover and playing their game, you and I won't be able to be together, _at all_. If I say no, I'll have to go into hiding for a long, long time. Kindred are spiteful and have long memories, and there's likely to be that Blood Hunt we were talking about a while ago.”

“No, Jasper...” Annabelle said sadly, in denial.

Jasper kept going. He had no time for denial. “So I wanted to see you again, tonight, while we still have time.”

“Okay... but this isn't the last time we'll see each other,” she insisted.

“Annabelle-”

“No, Jasper. This will NOT be the last time! Even if it takes us a hundred years...” Annabelle bit her lip and swallowed hard against the ball of tears in her throat. “We will see each other again.”

Jasper sighed. Her optimism was as solid as granite. He nodded. “Okay. Even still... I...” he licked his fangs, summoning the words from what remained of his soul. He looked into her eyes. “I need you tonight. Please.”

“You can have me,” Annabelle said softly. “For as long as we have tonight, you can have me, completely.”

* * *

Annabelle was already unbuttoning the shirt cuffs of Jasper's jacket before they made it inside his sanctum. Jasper's Beast was stirring, pacing in its metaphorical cage, like a tiger at feeding time at the zoo who could see the keeper coming with a bucket of meat. He pulled the heavy door open, ushered Annabelle inside, and heaved it closed again. Jasper grabbed her and pressed her against that door, nuzzling her neck with a romantic urgency that was usually unlike him, but this was a night for unlikely behaviour from him, apparently. Annabelle activated Blush of Life and wriggled out of her jacket with Jasper's help. It fell to the lounge room floor at her feet.

Annabelle turned her head to kiss Jasper's face, her hands stroking the back of his head and neck, down his back. She was breathing hard with arousal already. As terrified as they were, there was something unbearably erotic about this. Perhaps it was Jasper's desperation, or the fact that despite Annabelle's earlier deceleration, this _could_ be their last time. Either way, Annabelle was all for making the best of it.

Jasper's jacket opened, revealing his pale, black-veined chest. Annabelle felt black leather touch her skin as he reached under her shirt, still wearing the gloves. She smiled wickedly and gave him a little shove backwards towards the chairs. Jasper obeyed, stepping back and landing in one of the inexpensive, but comfortable seats. If either of them had been paying attention, they might have noticed that is was the same seat Annabelle had sat in the first time she had come down into Jasper’s sanctum with the offer to, just this one time, let him feed from her.

Feeding with Blush of Life on was always an intense, erotic experience quite unlike either of them had ever encountered in life. The mixture of the pain and pleasure of the Kiss, the arousal of the blood, and the magic of the blush allowing their bodies to react accordingly was a hedonistic indulgence. Annabelle boldly climbed onto Jasper's lap, her strong legs on either side of his hips. They were face to face. Jasper rested a hand on her lower back to prevent her from falling if she leaned backwards at all. Annabelle had no intention of falling, however. She leaned back briefly, pulled her shirt off over her head and tossed it behind her. Her bra soon followed. She clung to him, her hands feeling his skin under his open jacket. Her chest was heaving up and down with the effort of her heavy breathing. Already she was so turned on she was about ready to burst.

Annabelle looked into his eyes. “Do it,” she said, her voice hoarse. “Blush. I want to feel you get warm.”

Jasper concentrated and, with a light snarl, his body began to warm up. It always seemed to take him a minute to react to Blush of Life, as if there was something in his Nosferatu nature that resisted it. Annabelle shifted a little, presenting her bare neck and shoulder to him. “Please...” she whispered desperately.

Jasper's Beast made him surge forward eagerly. It was hungry from the both effort it took to hide Jasper earlier and the force his took body to mimic life now. He sunk his long fangs into her exposed flesh at the crook of her neck and shoulder. Annabelle muffled a cry into his opposite shoulder. Jasper fed, licking and swallowing, savouring the flavour and power of her Brujah Vitae. Annabelle’s body writhed slowly as the sensations brought by the bite rolled through her, down to her core. He brought one leather-gloved hand up to tenderly caress one of her breasts, teasing her nipple. She shivered, enjoying the soft, but powerful sensations there.

They clung to each other’s backs, pulling at clothing. Annabelle moaned and gasped, still muffled by Jasper’s shoulder. He was fully aware of her rising arousal, of her edging slowly towards climax. His own body was reacting to the sexual energy and his pants were quickly getting too tight. With a snarl of effort he pulled back. His fangs were stained crimson. Annabelle whimpered in denial, but Jasper shifted his hips under her and she understood. As he licked her wound closed, she fumbled at his belt.

With a desperate urgency, they worked together to undo each other’s pants and pull them down. Annabelle’s were carelessly discarded to the floor along with her shoes. Jasper’s were only pulled down far enough to release his straining hard cock. She mounted him again, rubbing herself against him for a moment before reaching a hand down between their bodies to ease him inside her. They both growled and gasped.

“Ah... fuck...” Annabelle's head lulled back as she held onto Jasper's shoulders. Her throat was exposed to him again and he put his mouth to it, sucking on her skin. She felt his fangs press against her, but not pierce her again, not yet. She started to ride him, trying to go slow, but her body's needs drove her to soon speed up. His gloved hands went to her ass to help support her. He gripped her hard, snarling with pleasure as she moved against him. She didn't need his help. Her powerful Brujah muscles were more than enough to support her as she kept up the steady but instant tempo.

He felt so delicious inside her, long and curved to hit every sweet spot. Their bodies smacked together over and over, and every time she came down, Annabelle let out a breathy moan. Jasper's fangs scraped against Annabelle's shoulder, threatening to bite her again. Lost in the sensations and blind with lust, she reached up to the back of his head and put firm pressure on it, encouraging him wordlessly. His Beast never needed to be asked twice and for the second time that night, Jasper bit down hard.

Annabelle screamed, climaxing, pressing down, convulsing against him. The pleasure of the bite hadn't even hit yet. Her Vitae, full of all the lustful, fiery hot passion that was currently coursing through her, drained once again into his body. Jasper growled low in his throat, feeling his own pleasure rising to a breaking point. He pulled and pushed on her rear, encouraging her to move against him as her orgasm rolled over her in waves. She whimpered, trembling, her internal muscles squeezing and milking him until he couldn't take it any more and crested as well, his cry muffled by her skin.

Jasper kept his mouth on her for the few seconds afterwards, just letting her beautiful blood ooze gently into him as they revelled in their afterglow. Annabelle gently stroked the back of his head, sighing and purring. Slowly, lovingly, he licked her skin to close the wound. She was still sitting on him, himself still pressed inside her. Carefully, with shaking limbs, Annabelle lifted herself off of him, just enough to let him pull out, and then sat back down, a little further back on his lap. Jasper rested his forehead against her chest, his arms around her back and shoulders, breathing hard with Blush of Life. He could hear her heartbeat stampeding in her chest. His own felt like it was going to burst.

Annabelle smiled, dizzy with lust and blood loss. She gently stroked the back of his neck. “Mmm... Jasper, that was _good_...”

“Yeah... but we're not done yet.”

She grinned. “Round two?”

He looked up into her face again. “Round two.”

That and his hands moving downwards was the only warning he gave. Jasper stood up suddenly, his hands underneath and supporting her. Annabelle gave a little yelp of surprise, hanging on with her arms around his neck. He adjusted his grip briefly, then carried her into the bedroom.

Jasper's bed was decorated with a blanket that Annabelle had insisted on bringing over a week earlier. It featured a large image of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask embracing with moon beams, stars and red rose petals drifting around them. Jasper gently tossed Annabelle onto the bed. She landed on the blanket with another little yelp. He kicked off his pants and shoes and was about to remove the gloves but Annabelle spoke up.

“Wait! I like those...”

Jasper growled softly and gripped the index finger of one of the gloves in his teeth. He made steady eye contact with her as he pulled the black leather upwards and off his hand. He flexed his other hand and the leather creaked.

Annabelle gulped. “Um... never mind. I mean, I still like them, but...”

Her words faded as he pulled his other glove off, then his jacket. Jasper approached her on the bed. There were still so many things he wanted to do to her.

Annabelle thought he was going to climb onto the bed with her, but he paused to turn on some of their battery operated candles first. She remembered when she had first introduced them to Jasper, and how they had become their thing for these passionate encounters. “Safe fire for us,” that's what she had called it, or something like that. She blinked as a sudden wave of sadness hit her and Jasper paused, feeling it in their refreshed Bond. He sat on the bed by her and stroked her arm.

“Don't get sad, not now,” he said softly. “Right now, everything is alright. Lay back.”

Annabelle nodded and lay back, her head resting on the pillows. She cleared her throat, trying to remove the emotional lump in it. “What are you going to do?”

Jasper moved himself down, positioning his body between her legs. He shifted her knees so they were resting on his shoulders, his face close to her wet sex. He gave her a little smirk, stroking her inner thighs with his hands. “Guess.”

She smiled and nodded, giving him permission and wanting this, so, so badly. “But no biting, please.”

Jasper stroked a long finger down her moist labia and she twitched with a faint moan. “No biting,” he promised, and lowered his mouth gently to her clitoris.

Annabelle moaned again, louder. He was licking and sucking slowly, gently, aware she was still coming down a little from her earlier climax and everything would be sensitive. He also wanted to make every moment count, and building her up slowly to another screaming orgasm was part of that. Jasper shut his eyes and let his lips and tongue take over, very careful to keep his teeth and fangs away from her skin. His Beast was already mostly satisfied. This was more for him. He held her hips still with his hands as they twitched.

Annabelle's moans were a little muffled. Either she was biting her lip or covering her mouth with a pillow or her hands. Jasper opened his eyes and saw her biting a pillow. He pulled back, making her sigh as the direct pleasure paused, and reached up. He pulled the pillow away from her and tucked it under her hips. Jasper knew it would get wet with her vaginal fluids, but he didn't care about that. It could be washed. “I want to hear you moan,” he told her, his voice hoarse. He dove back in before she had a change to respond properly, doubling down on the pressure and intensity of his licking.

“Okay... guh... oh, God!” Annabelle cried. Her legs flexed and Jasper fought to hold her still, to keep applying the pleasure where she needed it. One of her hands went to his head, clutching at his scalp. Her other hand went to one of her breasts, squeezing it hard, manipulating herself mindlessly. She writhed, limited in her movements. “Yes...! Oh, right there...! Yes...! _Fuck_...! Please...!”

A minute or two later, Annabelle was close to climaxing again, her pleasure climbing quickly under Jasper's relentless tongue. Annabelle's moans paused briefly as she reached the point of no return, and then she screamed, loud and long, as her body bucked uncontrollably. Jasper's ears drank in her unbridled cries of ecstasy and he tried to commit them to memory. She cried out both God's name and his, but he was reasonably sure he was the only one who was listening.

Jasper finished her off with a few long, lazy licks. Annabelle trembled, once again left brainless and speechless. He pulled away slowly, getting out from under her legs. He paused to wipe his face and settled back on the bed next to her, rearranging the pillows. The one that had been under Annabelle's ass was mildly soaked, as he had predicted. She snuggled into him, skin-to skin, and sighed.

Jasper heard her mumble something, but couldn't catch the words. “What?”

“Mm? Oh... nothing. Um...” Annabelle bit her lip. “Give me a minute, and I'll return the favour.”

He smiled slowly. “Sure.”

After a minute, Annabelle's hand found his cock, which had gone back to a mostly limp state. She slowly started to stroke it. Jasper snarled and sighed, happy to let Annabelle take over for a little while. “I really did like that outfit,” she said. “I had no idea that was in your wardrobe.”

“I guess I still have a-a few surprises left,” he said, his voice hitching a little as his erection grew.

“I don't think anyone will ever know your whole story, Jasper,” Annabelle murmured, “but I'm honoured to know that parts of it that I do.”

“My life wasn't anything special.”

“That's not true, and like you told me before, you're doing the best you can with this extra life. Now, come here. Your turn to lay back.”

Jasper was hard enough now for Annabelle's next move. She shifted over as Jasper lay back on the bed. She chose to ignore the fact that he took the opportunity as he lay down to push her Sailor Moon blanket off the bed as well. She could retrieve that later.

Annabelle pushed her hair back behind her ear and put her lips around the head of Jasper's cock. Jasper's hips twitched and he groaned softly in pleasure. That was the other thing he didn't want to forget – how Annabelle's hands, mouth and vagina felt around him. He had thought those base pleasures to be long buried in his past, but she had shown him that no, this was not the case. He could have his cake, as it were, and eat it too. Most Nosferatu couldn't say that about themselves or their sex lives. He let himself smirk. A Nosferatu with a sex life. He supposed it was not as uncommon as most Kindred thought.

Annabelle's head moved slowly up and down along the length of his penis, her hand rubbing along the base of it and massaging his testicles. She was as careful to keep her fangs away from his skin as he had been with his while eating her out earlier. She ran her warm tongue down up and down the underside, then around and around the head where he had been circumcised as a baby. Jasper groaned again. She was very good at this.

Annabelle wrapped her lips around him again and took him in as deep as she could. Her head bobbed up and down, making wet, slurping sounds. Jasper reached down to her head and ran his long, pale fingers through her hair. She let him grab a fistful of it close to her scalp. This encouraged Annabelle to bob a little faster. Jasper snarled, his hips making tiny thrusts upwards.

He shifted his legs, gently pushing her away. He was breathing hard and licked his lips before speaking. “I want to fuck you again.”

Annabelle smiled, her eyes dark and lustful. “How do you want me?”

Jasper sat up. “On your back.”

Once again they swapped places. Their height difference was going to make this tricky, but not impossible. Jasper kneeled before her and grabbed Annabelle's hips, bringing them up to meet his. Her lower body rested on his thighs and she manoeuvred pillows to support her head and shoulders. Jasper stroked his cock, damp with her saliva, against her wet folds and sensitive bud. Annabelle's soft moans and sighs of pleasure filled the room again. This slightly awkward position would be worth it, Jasper thought, to see her face as he made love to her. Her skin was already flushed with heat, her Blush of Life working over-time. Her nipples were hard in the cold air of his sanctum.

Jasper placed the head of his cock to her opening and pushed in. She groaned louder. When she spoke, her voice was soft, but enthusiastic with arousal. “Fuck... yes... you feel _so_ good...!”

“You feel good too...” Jasper echoed, thrusting in and out of her slowly, feeling every inch of her. He held onto her hips and moved at an almost right angle to her. She moaned or sighed on every exhale, every forwards thrust. Jasper was taking his time. He had plans, but wanted to build up to them. If this was really going to be there last time, he wanted it to end as good as they had started.

Gradually, Jasper sped up to a nice, even tempo. Annabelle wrapped her legs around his waist. He could feel her powerful thighs squeeze him, not letting him escape. He was at a good angle to thumb her clit a little, and did so. He had trimmed his nails so as not to damage the leather gloves he had worn earlier in the night and so felt no fear of cutting her. Annabelle wailed, her muscles tightening around him. She moaned encouragement with whimpers of “ _yes_ ” and “ _right there_ ” and “ _don't stop_ ” sprinkled in.

Jasper watched her face. Her every raw emotion played across it. Her eyes were open and watching him as well. Her hands were pressed to his chest and he knew she could feel his dead heart pounding.

Jasper felt her vagina ripple in a miniature orgasm and Annabelle shuddered, groaning through clenched teeth. That's when he made his next move.

He shifted, bringing her legs up to rest against his chest, one foot over each shoulder. He wanted to fuck her hard, confident that her body, with its Brujah grace and strength, could take it. Jasper leaned forwards, bending Annabelle in half so that her knees were pressed to her chest. His hands pinned her wrists to the mattress above her head.

“ _Oh, God,_ ” Annabelle gasped loudly, feeling his long cock press deeper inside her. It felt almost impossibly intense. “ _Oh,_ God, Jasper...!”

Jasper snarled and pumped in and out, fucking her hard and fast and deep. Annabelle was soon beyond words, only incomprehensible moans and gasps. His rhythm was brutal and bruising, their hips slapping together in a rapid, staccato beat. Annabelle's eyes rolled back in her head and eventually she closed them. He hammered her, thrusting as hard as he dared for another half a minute, then pulled out suddenly, making Annabelle gasp. His cock was slick with fluids. He had one more thing he wanted to try.

Annabelle's legs were shaking and she was breathing hard as he moved her, shifting her onto her side. He forced one of her legs up, hugging it against his chest as he straddled her other thigh underneath him. He re-entered her, sliding in at a different, more sideways angle. It was a little less intense or deep for Annabelle, but she still moaned, appreciating the change.

“How's that?” Jasper growled.

“So good... so good...” she gasped, clutching a pillow and almost sobbing into it as the pleasure overwhelmed her senses.

Jasper smiled and continued his lovemaking, holding onto Annabelle's leg as he thrust in and out. He reached over to feel her breasts as well, appreciating how they moved as his body impacted hers. One of Annabelle's hands moved down to rub her clit, which was swollen with overestimation. If she wanted to climax again that was okay with him. Jasper could tell he wasn't going to last much longer, and so put his all into these final moments.

Between Annabelle's fingers and Jasper's cock, it wasn't long before she was screaming her release into the pillow again. Her pussy clenching around him was too much as he came as well, growling and clutching her leg. Her knee bent, her leg curling around him as they both came down from the sensations, breathing hard. Jasper eased himself out and lay himself down behind her as Annabelle slowly closed her legs, still laying in her side.

Jasper put an arm around her and nuzzled himself in to her hair and the crook of her neck. Annabelle clung to him, still moaning softly, her body twitching in aftershocks. Jasper's hand found the little bracelet he had made for her, still tied around Annabelle's right wrist, and he clung to her possessively. He wished with all his undead heart that the circumstances were different and he would not have to leave, but unless some kind of miracle happened over the next few nights, the only choice he would have to make was not _if_ he was going to leave, but rather _where_ he was going to disappear to.

Annabelle sighed, her body relaxing by degrees, mostly content and full of endorphins. She opened her eyes and watched the flickering fake candles. Some of their lights were getting dim. The batteries were running out.

“If... you do have to leave...” she whispered, “promise me that it won't be forever?”

He sighed. Making promises like that could be dangerous. Jasper's blood pulled to Annabelle's, his undead heart beating in time with hers. “I will do my best to get back to you,” he whispered. “Please try to be safe.”

Jasper felt her soft lips on his hand as she kissed his fingers. “I will if you will,” she said.

He smirked and snarled. Neither of them were going to be in safe circumstances any time soon and they both knew it.

There were more things Jasper wanted to ask Annabelle about. He wanted to know what she had done earlier that night with Nines in south Los Angeles, but as dawn approached, he decided that those questions could wait for now.

Jasper and Annabelle fell asleep with their tea light candles still lit. Their tiny button batteries lost their power over the course of the day. By the next evening, many of the flames had died completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Jasper heard her mumble something, but couldn't catch the words. “What?”_   
>  _“Mm? Oh... nothing. Um...”_
> 
> Wanna guess what she mumbled there? ;)


	2. What You Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next evening, Jasper finds out more details about Annabelle's actions in recruiting the Valkyries and does not approve.
> 
> Please read [Impulsivity](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17980862) by Falt before reading this chapter. With Falt's permission, the discussion Annabelle and Nines have in that fic is considered cannon for this series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um... this chapter contains spoilers for _Les Miserables._

Annabelle woke before Jasper did. She did her best not to disturb him, wanting him to keep sleeping. She thought he looked exhausted and needed his rest. Annabelle reached over the side of the bed and grabbed the Sailor Moon blanket she had insisted on bringing into Jasper's sanctum. Jasper had swept it off the bed during their lovemaking last night. She knew he only tolerated the blanket because of her. She bundled her naked body up in it. Jasper was just sleeping nude on top of his sheets.

Annabelle bit her lip, watching him sleep. While the sex they had last night was fun, _very_ fun, in fact, the circumstances around it had been less than ideal. Annabelle hated seeing Jasper so scared and desperate. He wasn't just contemplating leaving, he was full-on ready for it. She frowned. She couldn't have that. This haven, complete with the maze attached to it, was his home. She had heard him talk about how far he was willing to go to protect it, and she had no doubt about his convictions. Wanting everyone to have a home, where they were safe and happy, was one of her core ideals. It was what defined her as a person, regardless as to what one's definition of a 'person' was. Well, she was going to do whatever she could to make sure Jasper stayed and kept his sanctum – _their_ sanctum – safe.

It all boiled down to one simple point. She wanted Jasper to stay and fight to protect his home. They needed him. _She_ needed him. And if the Ivory Tower came after him, Annabelle would keep him safe. She wasn't sure how yet, but _damn it_ , she would find a way.

Annabelle snuggled in closer to Jasper's naked body. He stirred, putting an arm around her. It looked like he was awake after all.

“Hi,” she said softly.

He cracked open an eye and gave her a small smile. “Hi.”

Annabelle stroked the skin of his chest, tracing a black vein. “I've been thinking...”

“Mmm?”

“About you having to leave? You said last night that it didn't matter if you said 'yes' or 'no' to them, you were leaving?”

“Yes, I did say that,” Jasper said slowly. He was wondering where she was going with this.

“Well... I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay and help us. We need you. You should fight to keep the labyrinth away from the Camarilla. And I also want you to stay... with me. I need you too.”

Jasper gave a little sigh that was half a snarl. Part of him had been expecting her to say something like that. This was when their Blood Bond became tricky. So far as his blood was concerned, she was his reagent. They never used those terms, but that didn't mean the connection wasn't there. His blood could take what Annabelle was saying right now as a direct order, and that would make it extremely difficult for him to leave. Their bond was fresh with the feeding he had done last night in their throws of passion. That made the connection even stronger.

His Beast stirred, annoyed. She was trying to order him around, especially after she had promised him that she never would! He had been happy to obey little commands from her in the past, but this felt different.

“Is that a direct order?” he asked with a little growl.

Annabelle blinked. “No... you don't have to do something just because I want you to, but I'm wishing you would.”

“But you are still telling me to,” Jasper sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Annabelle... my blood has a difficult time seeing the difference between you ordering me to do something and just wishing I would. That's the Blood Bond. It reads your feelings, including the ones you try to hide. You want me to stay, so now, unless I really fight against it, I have to stay.”

Annabelle bit her lip. “I'm sorry... I didn't mean to take away your free will.”

“You do have a point though.”

“I do?”

“Yeah.” Jasper turned over Annabelle's words in his head. “If I run, there's no one to protect this place. I'm sure you would do your best, but...”

Annabelle sat up a little, resting on her elbows and looking at him. The blanket slipped off her shoulders and down her back. “But?” she prompted.

“There are a lot of secrets here I need to protect,” he said quietly. “That said... if I say no to them, Annabelle... and they call a Blood Hunt on me... it's going to put you and the others at risk too.” He stroked her hair, feeling the short fuzz on her right side above her ear.

Annabelle gave a little smile and leaned into his touch. “Ride or die, Jasper. We're family now.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Family? Us? You and me?”

“Well, I don't mean like siblings or anything,” she rolled her eyes. “But yeah, family. So...” she took his hand and pressed his knuckles to her lips. “Will you stay, please? At least for now?”

Jasper nodded with a tiny sigh. “Alright. I'll stay, but only because you asked nicely.”

Annabelle smiled. She leaned in and kissed him. It was a sweet little smooch on his lips, but when she tried to pull back, he put a hand to the back of her head to prolong it a little more.

“Thank you,” she whispered when she finally pulled back.

Jasper rested his forehead against hers and just held her close for a moment or two. Then he let her go and got out of bed. He had a habit of rolling his shoulders and cracking his joints after he got up. Annabelle watched him, fascinated.

“I never really asked you,” he said, starting to tidy the room of candles and clothing, “how did your thing go last night?”

“Oh, um...” Annabelle was reluctant to tell him great detail about the events that had happened with Rags. Nines had taken her aside after they left the Valkyries to have a conversation with her about it. “It was good! We met with these two who are in this like, bad-ass female vampire motorcycle club called the Valkyries. They agreed to help us if we need them in the fight.”

Jasper frowned. He could feel that Annabelle was nervous about something. “And they agreed, just like that? No catches?”

“Well... they did want us to do something in return.”

“What?”

“Um... there was another vampire they wanted us to take care of.”

Jasper arched an eyebrow at her. “Who?”

“Someone called Rags.”

Jasper thought about the name. “Okay, I don't think I've heard of him. 'Take care of' him how, though? What did you do?”

“Well... we went to his place and I talked to him and he surrendered, so I recruited him to the cause too,” Annabelle said.

Jasper narrowed his eyes at her. He could feel that she was lying about something.

“Why aren't you telling me the whole truth?” he asked slowly.

“What do you mean?”

“Annabelle, we have a Blood Bond. I can feel your emotions,” Jasper reminded her.

“Oh... um...” she shifted, awkwardly. She got up off the bed to go retrieve her clothes from where they had been discarded in the other room. “I mean, there are some details I'm sure you don't want to hear about...”

He followed her, not letting her escape from this conversation. “I do want to hear them though.”

“Well, Ramona was there too.”

“Okay...” Jasper could tell that wasn't the detail Annabelle was worried about. “And...?”

“And... Rags had done some bad things, that's why the Valkyries wanted him gone,” Annabelle said. She pulled on her jeans in Jasper's living room.

“Like what?” Jasper pressed.

“Drug dealing... using kids to help him...”

Jasper blinked at her in surprise. “And you... recruited him to our cause?”

“Well, everyone deserves a chance, Jasper! You know how I feel about that!” Annabelle said in defence, starting to get a little upset. Jasper could feel it. Normally, a thrall wants to avoid their reagent's wrath at all costs, but he was standing his ground.

“Do the Valkyries know you recruited him?”

“Yeah.”

“Even after they told you they wanted him 'taken care of'?”

“...Yeah,” Annabelle admitted, a little more hesitantly.

“Usually that means they wanted him dead.”

“That's what Nines said, after,” Annabelle said quietly.

Jasper sighed. He quickly got himself some fresh clothes and was glad to be back in a hoodie. He wanted to get to the bottom of what Annabelle had done last night. There was still something she was keeping from him.

“So... I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that the Valkyries wanted him taken care of because of the drug dealing and child abuse, right?”

Annabelle shrugged into her jacket, looking uncomfortable with the interrogation. She wanted Jasper to stop. He could feel it. Until she voiced that desire though, he was going to keep going. “Yes,” she answered.

“So, how do you know he's not going to relapse?”

“I, um... he...” Annabelle's resolve broke. “It was his idea!”

“What was?”

“A blood bond.”

Jasper froze. Anger, surprise and outrage flashed across his face. “You... _what_?”

Annabelle looked very afraid of Jasper's expression. “No, not with me! Not with me, I promise.”

“Then who?”

“Ramona. He drank from Ramona.”

Jasper sighed again and rubbed his face in exasperation.

“Look... I know that... probably wasn't the best choice,” Annabelle said.

Jasper shot her a dark look.

“But,” she pressed on, “Nines spoke with me about it afterwards... and I know I fucked up but... things still turned out okay, I think, over-all, and the recruiting mission was a success.”

Annabelle deliberately left out using her new powers to invoke Frenzy in Rags and his friend to make them attack each other. Jasper looked angry enough as it was.

“Oh, well... that's okay then,” Jasper said dryly.

“Are you mad?” Annabelle asked, trying not to sound timid. She cared about Jasper's opinions.

“I'm not happy. It's... not the choice I would have made, but then again, I'm not you.”

“What would you have done?” she was almost afraid of his answer.

“If I were asked to 'take care of' someone like him?”

“Yeah.”

Jasper didn't hesitate in his answer. He had done this kind of mission before, many times. He enjoyed doing this kind of thing, taking scum off the streets, ridding the city of one more awful Kindred and earning someone's favour or payment in the process. “I would have broken into his house, unseen, and cut his throat.”

That was the kind of answer Annabelle knew was coming, but still didn't like. “Just like that?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“No regrets? No remorse?”

“For Kindred like this guy you're describing? No. He sounds like one of those awful Kindred I keep telling you about, Annabelle. The kind who, unlike you and unlike Eva, don't deserve to be around.”

“You don't get to decide who deserves to be around and who doesn't,” Annabelle said in a dark tone.

“Neither do you, and yet here you are.”

“I didn't decide that. I gave him a chance and he took it.”

“He wanted to be in a Blood Bond?”

“Yes! It was his idea,” she argued.

“He would rather be Ramona's slave than dead.”

This was a point that Nines had brought up before as well. Ramona had made Rags roll over again and again and she could keep doing that as long as she wanted to. “It's not like... real slavery, is it? Like... _you're_ not _my_ slave.”

“Annabelle, our case is different,” Jasper said, trying not to lose his patience. “When I entered a Bond with you, it wasn't in a life or death scenario. You were not my sole source of food, you were just my best option, for more reasons than one, and you have never forced me to drink from you, beyond heavy suggestion. I am not your slave, but only because you have...” he sighed, “ _morals_ that other Kindred do not. So far as my blood is concerned, you _are_ my master.”

Annabelle blinked, trying not to cry. “But... I don't...”

“You don't mean to, but yes, you do sometimes order me around,” he told her, trying to be gentle, “and I allow it because I care about you, and because... it's easier than trying to fight back.” He pointed back towards the bedroom. “What did we just talk about in there, with me wanting to leave and you asking me to stay?”

Annabelle's lower lip trembled. “I'm sorry,” she said, her voice breaking.

Jasper could feel her angst. He sighed. “I know you are.”

Annabelle hugged herself, feeling trapped and guilty. She was standing at the back of the room, near the steel door that led into the sewers and that terrifying maze she wanted to avoid at all costs. Jasper was between her and the only other way out. “I wish that I could go back and... fix things, but I don't know if I would do anything different. I... I didn't want to kill him.”

“That's what makes you different, perhaps... better than me in a way,” Jasper said. He took a step towards her, his blood driving him to comfort her. “I told you that I do bad things. Killing people like Rags, that's the kind of bad thing I do, and I'm good at it, and if I'm honest with myself, I _like_ doing it. That's why the Ivory Tower wants me. Well... that and the fact that it was a 'damned if I do, damned if I don't' power move.”

Annabelle was trying hard not to cry, still hugging herself tightly. Jasper put his hands on her upper arms, but did not pull her into a hug. “I still don't think that... we have the right to... condemn people to death,” she said, staring at the floor.

“No, we probably don't have the right. That's why what I do is _bad_. Sometimes, it is necessary, but it is still bad.”

Annabelle was quiet. She hated everything about what Jasper was saying, even though she could see the truth in it. A blood tear escaped and she wiped it away before it could drip to the floor. Jasper was not hungry enough to be bothered by the smell of it.

“Shh... come here,” Jasper said very quietly. Annabelle stepped into a hug with him. She clutched him, trying not to cry into his clothes. He stroked her back. He was slightly surprised she still wanted to be held by him after what he told her. She still cared about him, despite the fact he was a killer.

“One night, a time will come when you'll have to kill someone, or you might do it my accident,” Jasper said. “I know you don't like to think about that, but it's true, and yes, it's awful, and it will hurt your soul, but I will be here to help you, and so will the others. You are still the best of us, Annabelle, even if you make some questionable choices. We all do that. It's human. It's Kindred.” He smiled. “Everyone makes mistakes, right?”

Annabelle nodded. She had told him that after he accidentally killed some people when they raided the Sour Sugar house. “Right,” she sniffled.

“So... nothing you can do now but move forward. The Valkyries will be very helpful in the fight, I'm sure, and it's what Gary wanted, so that's good too.”

Annabelle swallowed and pulled back out of the hug a little, but stayed close to him. “So... what now?”

“Well... I have to lay low for a little while seeing as how I'm supposed to be further contemplating the Prince's oh, so generous job offer,” Jasper said with a note of sarcasm. He tucked her long hair back behind her ear on her left side. “You should go feed and you might have more revolutionary planning to do. More Anarchs to reach out to, that kind of thing.”

Annabelle wiped her eyes, trying to get into business mode. “Yeah. I think, uh, Nines is going to be calling me about that soon. I think he might take me into his territory next.”

“Are you going to ride on his motorcycle again?”

“Yeah... probably,” Annabelle frowned up at him. “Why do you care?”

“Oh, I don't, but don't tell Nelli. She freaked out when you said you were going to ride it last night.”

Annabelle smiled and chuckled softly. “She is such a mom.”

“When it comes to you, she really is,” Jasper agreed.

Annabelle sighed again. “Can I come back here later?”

Jasper's blood pulled to her, wanting to keep her by his side and in his bed, and he couldn’t say no to her big, dark, pleading eyes. “Sure, but come the back way again. I'll take you out that way too, to same place as I found you last night. Message me when you're done being Enjolras for now.”

Annabelle smiled at the _Les Miserables_ reference. “I should get myself a red vest.”

“What do you think this is?” Jasper tugged gently on the lapels of the red leather jacket.

Annabelle smiled. “True, I guess.” Her smile faltered. “Enjolras dies on the barricade, you know.”

“I know,” Jasper said quietly, “but I'm not going to let that happen to you.”

“I'm scared, Jasper,” Annabelle said honestly. “I have so much pressure on me to do well, and then I go and... do things like what I did last night. I don't know if I'm cut out for this.”

“You _are_ though,” Jasper reminded her. “You literally _are._ This is the Brujah... thing.It's in your blood, and I should know, because I've drunk enough of it.”

Annabelle sniffled again and smiled.

“Even before you were turned, you were a rebel,” Jasper continued. “Are you trying to tell me all that time you spent running protests at Griffith College taught you nothing about turning hearts and minds to your cause?”

Jasper didn't want to say it out loud, but he could see why Carver had chosen Annabelle to invest his time, energy and Vitae into, not that he had done a good job of helping her after the fact. Regardless, Carver had seen that spark of strength and danger inside of Annabelle and strove to keep it alight, one way or another. There was no way Jasper was going to mention that to Annabelle though. He knew she resented being recruited into this unlife, and into this war, and Jasper couldn’t blame her for that in the least. Like him though, she seemed to want to do the best what what extra time she had been given. He loved that about her.

Annabelle thought about what Jasper told her. “Yeah... I guess you're right.”

Jasper gave her a confidant little smile. “You'll be fine. Just make good choices, and stay alive.”

Annabelle laughed grimly. “That's the hard part.”

“Well, how about this... no more forcing anyone into blood bonds, and if anything happens to you while you're out with Nines, I will hunt him down and I will cut his head off too.”

Annabelle lightly hit Jasper's chest. “Don't say things like that!”

“Sorry, that's the blood talking,” Jasper said, only partly telling the truth.

Annabelle hugged him tightly again.

They were interrupted by her phone going off with an incoming message. It was Nines, arranging a time and place for them to continue their mission. “Speak of the devil,” Annabelle muttered, going for her phone.

“I'll walk you back to where he dropped you off before,” Jasper said.

Annabelle texted Nines back and made sure she had everything with her that she needed. Jasper led her out through the steel door and back through the tunnels. They held hands most of the way to the drop off point.

Annabelle hugged him one last time before climbing back up onto the street. “See you later?”

“Yeah,” Jasper agreed.

Annabelle gave him a little kiss, which he wasn't expecting, but didn't pull away from. He was still unused to kisses, by and large. He had only just recently gotten back into accepting and giving physical acts of affection, and only ever with Annabelle, and only ever in private. Like the feeding and sex the night previous, Jasper tried to lock this little memory away as well. It wasn't just the big moments of passion he didn't want to forget, but the tiny ones too. They were just as important.

Annabelle climbed up to the street above and Jasper turned to head back to his sanctum. He still had a lot of thinking and planning to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wish they would have explored Annabelle making her first kill. Rags would have been perfect for that, considering how scummy he is. Annabelle would have been able to justify it and move on. Alas, it was not to be.


End file.
